The World Has Become A Little Darker
by Serpentine Malfoy
Summary: The Scooby's are confronted with a great loss when the kindest among them is killed, Willow.


**The World Has Become A Little Darker** -- by Serpentine Malfoy  
Email: serpentine_malfoy@yahoo.com  
Rating: R  
Description: The Scooby's are confronted with a great loss when the kindest among them is killed, Willow.  
Timeline: Season 4 | Willow/Spike | AU | Angst/Tears Warning  
Note: Okay, I have brown eyes that turn green when I am excited. Like if I am hyper or scared or any time I have a lot of adrenaline in my system. I have only seen them turn a muddy green but some people I know swear they have seen them turn a lush green. So I have no idea how my eyes turn color, but they do, so don't think that part of the story is far fetched. Also, part of this story came to me as a dream, and as the rest of the next waking day progressed the plot just grew. I hope you enjoy!  
Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own Buffy or any of it's characters. No profit is being made. No infringement is intended.

* * *

Willow was fighting an especially ugly vampire. She was holding her own. She shoot a glance at the others. Buffy was fighting two vamps, Xander and Anya were back to back taking on another two. 

Whack, Damn Vamp hit me better pay more attention, Rosenberg! 

Willow began to fight with more force she sent a hard kick at the vamp's stomach, said vamp doubled over. Taking his momentary weakness she brought down the stake, dusting him in short order. She turned and saw her friends had dispatched their enemies as well, she glanced around once more, Where is he? 

There! Spike whirled and struck the vampire he was fighting in the chest with a well-practiced roundhouse. Willow smiled she, watching him fight always made her feel as if she were watching a panther stalking its prey, his movements were that fluid and catlike. 

Spike glance up as he struck the vampire with his stake, he saw her fiery hair, her tiny smile just for him. The smile he was about to give in response froze on his face as he saw the demon behind her. He shouted her name, she looked into his startled eyes as the lethal blade the demon held plunged through her back, thrusting all the way through. She looked down and saw the tip of the blade through the spreading red stain on her stomach. The gut wrenching pain was nothing in comparison to the pain of the demon yanking the blade back out of her. 

Willow felt as if she was seeing everything in agonizingly painful slow motion. She stumbled her hands holding her bloody middle. She felt herself falling, but before she hit the hard ground strong arms were holding her. She looked into his beautiful blue eyes, the bloody tears streaming over his sharp cheekbones.

Willow saw Buffy brutally kill the demon that had taken her out. With a slight smile she looked back into his eyes. Spike was stroking her hair, telling her how much he loved her. How everything was going to be fine.

Willow knew better. The pain had been replaced with a slight floating feeling, the longer she looked into those dazzling blue eyes the lighter she felt, until she had no real conscious feeling in her body.

"William...I...will always love you...Forever..." with those final softly whispered words, Willow closed her eyes and the silent blissful darkness took her.

Spike buried his face in her hair. She was gone. His fire, his love, his life. She was gone. The others stood silently crying beside him as he lifted her lifeless body and walked away from the place he had lost the only light that shined in his dark world.

* * *

Ten years later, to the day --

Spike traced his finger on the letters of the tombstone. 

Willow Anne Rosenberg  
"The world is a darker place  
without your love"  
1981-2000 

The bloody tears streamed down his face once more. He had visited her grave every night since she had been buried here. His mind returned to that night, the night he had first saw her grave...

* * *

_Flashback--_

Her family was moving away, since they no longer had any ties to Sunnydale without her. They had been none to pleased to hear the tall blonde man had been her fiancé. They believed he was somehow responsible for their daughter's murder, but never pursued it. She was never coming back. 

The funeral was held during the day, preventing Spike from being able to attend, the others had tried desperately to convince the Rosenberg's to hold it at night, but to no avail. Buffy had come with him when he walked to her fresh grave. The ground was still moist from the brand sod placed over the moist dirt. He looked at the tombstone, smiling sadly at the words. Buffy placed a tiny hand on his shoulder. He had never liked her, but as he stood in the chilly night looking at the tombstone of his true love he felt better having her there.

He turned and saw the tears streaming down her cheeks. She feels as strongly as I do, she has lost her best friend. Spike pulled her into a hug. Both crying, one crystalline tears for the loss of the bravest sweetest soul in the world, the other crimson tears for the loss of his true love, the only light in his world.

_--End Flashback_

* * *

Spike put his head in his hands. The tears refusing to slow. It had been ten years. Ten Years! How had he survived this long? But Spike knew exactly how, he could not just give up because of the pain. Willow would never have wanted that. She was a fighter, so for her he would continue to fight. But as the days had blurred into months, then years, and now a decade, Spike realized it was getting harder not to stay kneeling in front of her grave. Waiting for the sun to rise as he had on that first night...

* * *

_Flashback--_

Buffy glanced down at her watch through her tears, she saw there was only a couple hours before dawn.

"Spike, We should go...Thank you."

Spike looked questioningly at her, "For?"

"For loving her, being the man she loved...I had never seen her as happy as she was with you..." Buffy looked away the pain in his eyes too much to bear. This had been a man she had hated, her worst enemy, then a temporary ally then again an enemy. But in the last couple of years, when he had begun to help the scoobys because of the implant he had become a trusted allie once more. But as she looked into his hurt eyes she saw he had actually become a friend.

"Slayer...Buffy...Willow was the only person who ever saw the real me, she looked right past my tough bad boy exterior and saw the me. I will love her, Forever." The words so close to those Willow had spoken sent a shiver down Buffy's spine. "Now, go on home. I just need a few minutes alone...please."

Buffy nodded and stood. She glanced at Spike as she headed out of the cemetery. She saw him kneel in front of the grave. She saw his trusty duster splayed behind him. She saw him bend his head and lay a tiny kiss one the tombstone before burying his head in his hands. She had an urge to go back to him, but decided he deserved time alone.

Spike felt the there was only about half an hour before dawn. He once more looked up at the stone. He read the engraving over and over again. The world is a darker place without you, luv. A place which is to dark even for the likes of me.

* * *

Buffy made it about half way home before she felt it. She could sense his intentions. She had to stop him. Wait, is it my place to dictate that he shouldn't die? Does he deserve to suffer the loss of his lover? Willow wouldn't want him to go this way! For Willow Buffy ran back to the cemetery, hoping she could make it before the light of day. 

* * *

As Spike became aware of only a few more minutes until the sun would rise, he felt a tightening in his chest. His long still heart felt as if someone had gripped it. He looked at the lightening sky. Was this the right thing to do? Willow, what should I do? Give me a sign. 

As if in answering Buffy came running into the cemetery. She could see Spike standing before the tombstone, his duster billowing in the breeze. She ran to him, roughly she turned him around. "Willow would not want you to do this, she would...does want you to live." Spike looked into her eyes and saw the truth in them.

With an almost unperceptable nod, he let the slayer take his arm and led him to the tunnels and to the safety of the darkness within. Just before the sun came over the horizon shedding light on the grave of his love.

_--End Flashback_

* * *

Spike still knelt before the stone. His body refusing to let him leave her. 

In another part of the cemetery a girl with fiery hair lay unconscious on a grave. She slowly opened her eyes, her brows furrowing together.

How did I get here? She sat up slowly, trying to ignore the pounding in her head. She felt weak almost to weak to stand but with a couple of trys she managed. She leaned her against a tombstone and took a tired breath. She heard something. Crying?

She glanced around for the source. She couldn't see it. The darkness to thick. She moved forward. Following the crying, something inside her telling her she had to find the crying person. 

She was almost upon him before she saw him. His black duster making him even harder to see in the darkness. She saw him stand and saw his almost glowing blonde hair. He stood frozen except for the sobs that wracked his body.

She stepped forward. Reaching a tiny pale hand to touch his cheek, the bloody tears leaving red tracks down his sculpted face.

Spike opened his tightly closed eyes expecting to see the slayer. Instead he saw something entirely different. He saw fiery red hair, a small tiny wisp of a girl and a face like an angel. But her eyes were wrong they were not the lush green of his love, the were brown. He took a step back.

"William...Oh, William...Why are you crying?" The tiny girl asked him. He stumbled back once more. She looked confusedly up at him. "William, why are you acting like this? I love you." That was it Spike had had enough, this strange girl was almost an exact doppelganger of his love, even down to the lilting voice.

"Who are you?" With silent tears still streaming down his face her watched the confusion play across her face.

"William, you can't be serious, it's me Willow. Did something happen to you, have you lost your memory?" She once more reached up to caress his cheek, he side stepped her before she could touch him.

"You bloody bitch! You are not Willow! You are some demons idea of a joke, you must be here to torment me some more, something I have pissed off has decided to twist the knife a little more! Like every day without her, and every night of pain isn't enough suffering. Leave, I do not want this, tell whoever put you up to this the you succeeded to make my pain greater..." He stooped his triad as the wisp of a girl looked at him stunned.

Just then a flash of lighting illuminated the cemetery. The girl jumped. She looked down and saw the grave he had been kneeling at. She read the inscription as another flash of lighting once more lit up the scene. She felt light headed. This can't be true, William. As she turned to confront him, she saw he was gone. She collapsed on the grave, her grave. How can I be dead?

* * *

Willow stood. She looked around and saw the sun was just ready to rise. She wiped her eyes and once more glanced at the stone, her tombstone. The engraving was beautiful but painful to read. Her friends loved her so much her death had made their worlds a little darker. That sort of love was something she hoped she would see again.

Placing on a patented 'Willow resolve face' she walked out of the cemetery with her head held high. She would find a way to convince Spike she was back and she was never leaving him again.

* * *

Willow walked by her childhood home and saw a brown haired boy come out the front door. He slung his book bag over his shoulder and walked toward the elementary school. She saw a woman, presumably the boys mother, prune some lovely red roses. 

Willow bit back tears, her parents were no longer here. They couldn't help her. She once more placed on her resolve face, not quite as strong as the one earlier. Now where should I go?

* * *

The dingy gas station bath room made Willow almost throw up. But when she looked in the dirty mirror, her stomach took a definite flip flop. She looked alright except for her eyes. They were no longer their brilliant lush green, but now where a deep brown.

Willow once more succumbed to tears. She couldn't understand what had happened to her. How could I have different eyes? How could I have died? Wait what year is it? Willow glanced down at a newspaper in the trash bin. With shaking fingers she retrieved the dirty paper.

The date read: August 7, 2010 She dropped the offensive paper and slumped to the dingy floor. What in the name of the goddess is going on?

With a trepidious sigh, Willow walked out of the restroom and back into a town that thought her dead.

* * *

After wandering all day and well into the night, Willow caught site of blond hair, she followed behind the blond woman who was once her best friend. As the Bronze came into view Willow felt her stomach flip flop once again. 

Buffy walked in and strode right to her lover. She looked up into his eyes and smiled. Xander and Anya sat at their table holding hands, Anya's wedding glittered in the lights. Willow watched from a dark corner as her friends all talked and laughed together. 

Willow smiled as she looked at Buffy's love. They had finally made it, their true love finally prevailed. Angel leant forward and placed a chaste kiss on Buffy's smiling mouth. Xander and Anya shared a loving kiss as well. 

Just as she was about to step forward out of the shadows she saw him. He was sitting at the table next to them. He was staring sightlessly at the beer in front of him. His shoulders slumped in his ever present leather duster. Willow took a step back, then another until she was outside and ran as fast as she could from them, from the memories, from him.

* * *

Giles sat reading an old text, a new prophecy was coming. Darkness was coming if the light did not return. He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He glanced at his watch and saw it was getting late. He would research more in the morning. He felt a twinge of pain, research always made him think of her. She had made it so much more enjoyable. Her excited chatter would fill the room with a warmth that had been robbed from all of their lives since she had been taken away. As he felt his eyes begin to moisten he decided it was time to retire for the night. Such dismal thoughts would only make things worse. He stood and began to place back the books he already read on the shelf. He then turned and turned off the kitchen light. As he headed for the last remaining light downstairs he heard someone knock on his door. He reached for the stake on his table and headed for the door.

* * *

Willow ran as fast her legs would take her. She ran blindly, her legs taking her to the only person that could help her. As she saw his door she knew he would help, he had to.

* * *

Giles opened the door and froze. There she was. Willow her face flush, her breathing coming in pants from her apparent run to his door. Her fiery hair was tousled. Her heart was beating so fast he could hear it as he stepped forward. She looked questioningly up into his eyes. Her green eyes looked into his.

Giles stepped to her. He felt a smile that had not surfaced since her death finally come into being. She saw the smile and felt relief. But after running for what seemed to be her life and all of the stress of the last day, Willow collapsed. Giles caught the girl before she could hit the floor. She was already unconscious before she fell into his arms. With a silent thank you to the gods Giles carried the precious girl into his apartment.

* * *

As a stray ray of light shined onto her face, Willow slowly opened her eyes and saw she was in someone's bedroom. She looked around quickly recognizing Giles' bedroom. She felt a wave of relief, then panic. What if he doesn't believe me?

Giles walked into his bedroom seeing Willow sitting up in the bed. Her face in her hands. Her shoulders were shaking with her silent sobs. He quickly went to her. She looked up into his eyes and he gasped. Her eyes were brown. Not green. This wasn't Willow.

"Who are you?" Giles asked as the tiny girl moved away from him as if he had burned her.

"No... No...Not you too. I'm Willow. I don't know hat happened to me. All I remember is a lot of pain, telling William I would always love him, then nothing....Oh, William! I have caused him such pain, Giles." With her words Giles could see her truthfulness. This was Willow, just not in the same body as before.

"Willow?...I believe you. But I need to know EXACTLY what happened to you. I don't know if you know this but we have believed you dead for ten years."

Willow looked at him sadly. "As I said I don't remember anything. After I told William I would love him forever there was nothing but darkness. Then yesterday night I woke up in the cemetery and heard crying. I felt as if I needed to know who was crying so I went to the source..." Willow began to sob harder. Giles lightly ran circles on her back trying to calm her. "William was crying, so I went to him...he...called me an imposter...a bloody bitch sent here to torment him more than he already was. I tried to tell him it was me but he didn't listen. I looked down at the grave he was standing on, it was mine! MINE!" Once more she sobbed whole heartedly. She explained about seeing the gang at the Bronze and running from them.

"It's ok Willow. I'll help you, you have nothing to worry about." "But Giles you didn't see his eyes, they held so much pain. I caused that. I feel as if maybe I am better off dead if I cause the man I love pain! He needs me gone so he can go on with his life..." She threw herself from his grasp and ran from his bed. Locking herself in his bathroom. 

The very bathroom Spike had been chained in all those years ago. Willow remembered that time and the short lived happiness that had followed, ignoring the insistent knocking of Giles...

* * *

_Flashback--_

Willow knocked lightly on the bathroom door. Spike said come in. She saw him chained in the tub and surpressed a sigh. She knew she was getting a serious crush on the blonde vampire. She brought him his breakfast in a novelty 'kiss the librarian' mug. Heated to 98.6 degrees just as he liked it. She had to imagine it was really thick tomato juice so as not to gag. 

Spike sent a smile at the tiny red head, she smiled shyly back at him. As she brought the straw to his lips he darted his tongue out and licked her finger. She jumped almost spilling the blood. She looked into laughing eyes and froze, she something in those icy depths. A promise in mayhem and mischief but even deeper still she thought she could see the caring person she believed still dwelled within him. She had seen glimpses of that Spike when they talked after he fed. The others didn't even bother to humor him, but Willow did.

Willow felt her self drawn towards him. She placed the mug down. Her eyes locked with his as he leant forward. She took a nervous breath as he inched closer to her. His mouth only a fraction away from hers. She threw caution to the wind and closed the distance. She felt his cool mouth on hers. His light feather kisses became more frenzied. His tongue tried to get access into the warmth of her waiting mouth. Willow whimpered as the sensations of the kiss were doing interesting things to her body.

Spike pulled at his bonds. He needed to touch this girl. To feel her beneath him. He used all his strength and felt the chains begin to give. As her tiny warm hand began to stroke his blonde hair, all rational thought fled from him.

Willow stroked his hair as the kiss continued and deepened even more. She heard a groan from his chains, then his arms were around her. Quickly he stood pulling her to her feet. He released her mouth as he stepped out of the tub. The cuffs now broken hanging from his wrists. He let her take a much needed breath before he once more took her mouth. He moved her backwards across the room, until her back was to the wall. He tangled on hand in her fiery tresses as his other moved to softly touch her breast. Willow moaned into his mouth as his fingers teased and caressed her breast. She could feel responding to him. She had never felt anything like this before. He started to rain kisses upon her lips then her chin, then down her neck until he was raining kisses directly on her pulse point. He could feel her blood flowing rapidly through her vein. 

As he began to nibble on her neck Willow felt a tightening she had never felt before begin. She began to moan louder as one of his hands moved under her skirt. As she felt his fingers lightly touch her through her panties Willow felt the world shatter. She moaned his name as she was hit with the first real orgasm of her young life.

Having heard moaning Giles ran to the bathroom and what he saw made him feel as if he might faint. He saw Willow moaning Spikes name as said vampire rained kisses on her jawline as his hands were in places Giles had rather not think about. He cleared his throat. Nothing happened. He cleared it a little louder, breaking through their sexual haze.

"Giles!" Willow squeaked as she looked up into his questioning eyes. Spike lowered her to the ground and she fastidiously smoother her skirt. She watched as Giles walked away from the bathroom. She slowly followed. She heard Spike mumble something about it being time to face the bloody music. She hoped it wasn't going to be that bad. But knew it was going to be worse.

* * *

Willow could hear a clanking sound behind her as she walked to the living room. Spikes broken restraints were radioing on his wrists. She marveled at the his strength to be able to break them.

Giles lectured them for what seemed like hours, until finally he asked Spike his intentions. Spike sat silently for a moment before answering, "Mate, I was in love with a loony woman for nearly a 100 years. I stayed with her through her bad and worse times. But the love I felt for her doesn't even come close to what I feel for Willow." Willow looked into his eyes and saw the truth in them.

"I love him, Giles."

Giles removed his glasses, thinking about what had just been confessed. He had no right to tell her what to do, she was an adult. "Fine, If you hurt her, I'll make you beg to die before I kill you." Spike looked into the older British mans eyes, "If I hurt her, I'll let you."

* * *

It had been a difficulty in getting the gang to accept their relationship, but eventually they excepted it. Even Xander, who had begun to try to talk to Spike, even if it was only about video games they played together.

Willow was so happy. She had found her soulmate, the man she was destined to be with forever. She couldn't imagine a more perfect life, that is until the night he had surprised her with a romantic dinner on top of a warehouse. She looked out over the bay. She felt a breeze tousle her hair, sending a shiver down her spine. Spike quickly removed his leather duster and put it on her. The smell of old leather and stale cigarettes had become an aphrodisiac for Willow. She looked into his crystalline blue eyes.

He slowly knelt before her. She gasped as her took her hand in his. He was kneeling before her on one knee. As he pulled a velvet box from his pocket Willow feared she would pass out. He opened it to reveal a beautiful diamond ring, it's silver band glinted in the moon light. His eyes were bloody with tears. Willow could feel the tears stream down her face as well.

"Red, you would make me the happiest man if you would marry me?" Willow tried to speak, but no words could be formed. She nodded her head yes , he placed the ring on her finger and stood. She went into his arms. He mummered softly in her ear how much he loved her. She smiled, she was home this was where she was supposed to be.

They went to his apartment that night and had made love for the first time. Willow lay content in his arms. She was going to be in his arms forever...

That was the night before she died...

_--End Flashback_

* * *

Giles continued to knock on the bathroom door. He could hear her sobs, which had grown louder as time passed. He was just about to pick the lock when the sobbing stopped fearing the worst, he used his whole strength and used his shoulder to break the door down. He found her in an exhausted heap. Her crying had made her finally pass out. He once more laid her in the bed. 

He watched her even breathing for a moment before he headed for the phone in his living room. There was someone he needed to call.

* * *

Giles hung up the phone. Well that could have gone better. He placed his hand over his eyes, this was going to take time. He needed to formulate a plan, the direct approach wasn't going to work. He had his work cut out for him if he was going to get the two wayward souls back together.

* * *

Spike growled at the phone, What is wrong with that watcher? Willow is dead and she ain't ever coming back!

He had something about the girl showing up on his doorstep. He couldn't believe the watcher had been duped by that doppelganger. He needed to warn Buffy her watcher had been tricked. He dialed and waited. A very groggy Angel answered.

"Peaches, I need to speak with the Slayer." A growl on Angel's end. "Testy old man, just put the chit on, it's important."

As Spike explained about seeing the doppelganger now Giles' call, Buffy realized how much she hoped he was wrong, maybe this girl was Willow, but Buffy couldn't kid herself her best friend was gone forever. Now they had to deal with this imposter.

"Spike, don't worry. We'll think of something." With that Buffy hung up. She stared at the ceiling as she felt Angel squeeze her lightly in his sleep. She felt herself drawn into memories she had tried to put behind her...

* * *

_Flashback--_

Buffy sat across from Willow that morning at the coffee house. She excitedly talked about her night with Spike. Every few seconds looking down at her hand and the ring which she wore upon it. Buffy smiled at her. She was so happy for her friend. And although she had had problems with the blonde vampire, she could see his undying love for her friend. A depth of love she didn't believe possible.

They spent the entire day planning the big event. They had gone over to Xander's and Anya's and told them the news. Xander had told her how happy he was for her, even if she was marrying deadboy jr. Anya had giggled and talked about what they were going to do on the wedding night. Willow had blushed crimson, remembering the tender night they had spent together the night before.

Anya had caught that look and winked knowingly at her. Buffy had giggled at Xander's oblivious look. Men could be so dense!

* * *

Buffy's pager went off an hour before sunset. Giles said to high tail it to his apartment, not in those words, a new demon was about to strike.

The gang all went together. Meeting Spike along the way as the sun set. Willow felt so warm and loved. Spike kissed her softly then took her hand as they went to the Watchers.

Giles met them at the door. He quickly gave the details of the new demon, he was a nasty one too. He had a pack of vampires protecting him. He also carried a large sword, he warned them all to be careful. After arming themselves, the scoobys headed into battle.

* * *

Buffy fought her two attackers with ease. She fought and parried until she saw an opening. She plunged the staked into one of her attackers, she whirled around on her other attacker before the dust even settled. 

She dusted the remaining clinging dust from her pants. She checked her friends they had dispatched their attackers as well. She saw Spike dust the last of the vamps then saw his eyes grow large in fear. As if in slow motion Buffy turned and saw the blade go through Willow heard Spike's shout for her. She saw him rush to her fallen friend's side. Something snapped she stalked to the demon and dispatched him quickly but painfully.

She stood behind Spike as she saw her friend dying, she could hear his soft spoken words of comfort. But what tore at her worse was Willow she looked bravely into his eyes, she whispered her never ending love, then died in her lover's arms.

Buffy had followed silently crying behind Spike as he had picked up her lifeless body. She didn't know what to do...the world would be a place of darkness without Willow...

_--End Flashback_

* * *

Buffy lay stroking Angel's hair. She let the tears fall. Why had she been allowed to be with her true love, when Willow was torn from hers? Willow had been the bravest, kindest soul to walk the earth? How could fate be so cruel?

* * *

Giles bolted out of his chair sending crashing to the floor. He reached the table with his texts open in two strides, he read the passage about the worlds light must return to defeat the darkness. It all makes sense, that is why she has been brought back.Giles read the rest of the prophecy and his excitement fizzled. It didn't look like the light would survive. No, she can't be taken away again!

* * *

Buffy headed towards Giles'. She needed to see this doppelganger for herself. She knocked and Giles wearily answered it. Silently he let her in. With a slight wave of his hand he indicated the woman she was looking for was in his bedroom. 

Buffy slowly crept into the room. The sleeping girl tossed and turned, her red hair splayed on her pillow. She began to thrash on the bed. 

"No...William...It's me, please believe me. I love you." Willow mumbled in her sleep. Buffy froze she knew deep down this was her Willow. She walked to the girl and laid a calming hand on her forehead. Willow gradually began to calm until she was silently sleeping once more.

"Oh, Spike. Your love has come back. You just have to open your heart to it." Buffy whispered.

* * *

Spike had been called by Buffy her tears making it hard for her to be understood. She said he had go to Giles' now. He grabbed his duster and hurried to the watchers home.

Before he could even raise his hand to knock the door swung open. Buffy reached out and dragged him in. Giles had just turned on the tv when Spike arrived. He glanced at the set and froze. The news was displaying a grisly killing spree happening in the park. The attacks were the M.O. of the demon in the prophecy.

Buffy had seen the news coverage as well. She told Giles this had to be handled later. She told Spike that they had a long talk coming after they dispatched the demon. Giles Spike and Buffy grabbed weapons and were out the door of the apartment. Leaving Willow asleep in Giles' room, where he hoped she would be safe from what he feared was her destiny.

* * *

Willow jerked awake and ran a shakey hand threw her hair. She moved off of the bed slowly. She wandered into the living room and saw it empty, but the tv was on. She watched in horror as the news coverage showed the carnage. Then she saw them quickly cross in front of the cameras. 

She instinctively knew she was supposed to be there with them. She ran out the door, without a weapon or even a pair of shoes on her feet.

* * *

Willow ran faster than she ever had before, she knew her friends lives depended on it. She saw the park come into view. She picked up the pace even more. Her barefeet pounding over the uneven path to the center of the park.

Willow came to a halt when she came to the clearing. There in the center were her friends tied to posts. Buffy battered and bloody body lay limp, Willow could see the slight rise and fall of her breathing so she knew she was still alive. Giles hung next to her, he looked ok, it appeared he must have just been in the head and knocked out. But when she looked at Spike she felt the world shift under her. He looked ten times worse then Buffy. He was covered in blood, his face had a mask of pain.

She stepped forward calmly. She looked around for the demon, but it was no where in site. She mover in front of her lover, she traced his cheekbone with her fingers. She turned and looked directly into the demons eyes. She had no fear as the massive demon grabbed her. She turned her head and kept her eyes on her love. She only hoped he wouldn't wake before it was over. To see her die twice would surely be to much for him.

Willow knew she was going to die. She had wished she could have been in his arms one last time. She kept her eyes riveted on his as she felt the muscles ripple in the demons body, just about to deliver the final blow.

She saw his eyelids flutter, saw him focus his beautiful blue eyes. She saw the recognition the undeniable love she saw in his eyes. He finally saw it was her. She felt the blow, it hurt, but her mind continued to concentrate on Spike, her William.

He yelled her name, just as he had the first time she had been struck down. But this time was different, a blinding light enveloped the park. The demon was no more, the post the three were tied to disappeared. Giles and Buffy were slowly coming to as Spike ran to her side.

"Willow, Oh, Willow, I love you. I can't loss you again!" Spike held her, he could hear her heart beginning to slow. Buffy was behind him, as was Giles. She looked into his eyes, the eyes of the man she loved.

"I will love you forever, my beautiful William." Spike could feel her heart slowing even more. He saw the love and acceptance in her eyes. He lowered his head, her heartbeat almost imperceptible.

* * *

Spike sat in the chair staring at nothing. He didn't know what to do, she was and always would be the love of his life. She had been light of his life.

A tiny pale hand touched his shoulder. He looked up into Buffy's eyes, "It's time."

She held his hand as she led him from the room. She met Angel along the way and gave him a small smile. Releasing Spike's hand she lead them into the courtyard where the chairs had been set up for all of the guests. Xander and Anya sat with their son on one side, Anya wiping tears from her eyes. Giles and his girlfriend sat on the other side, he was trying to keep a strong face on for the children, but the tears were falling anyway.

Buffy took her place as did Angel. Spike slowly walked to the front the podium looming in front of him. He glanced at his friends, they were all his friends now. 

The music softly began. He hugged Buffy then Angel and stepped to his place. This was harder than I thought.

He turned and all doubts left him. Willow walked down the aisle in her beautiful white gown. Her crimson hair pulled up in a French roll. Tiny wisps of red loose around her face. Her usual pale skin had taken on a glowing ivory after her turning. Her beauty was even more evident in the stillness of the night.

As she reached him she felt at peace. She took his hands and repeated the words the Wiccan priestess who was performing the ceremony said. She looked into his eyes and felt the warmth of the sun there. Spike had turned her at the last second, Giles had given her back her soul before she even woke. There were no clauses, she would be where she belonged, with Spike forever.

**The End**


End file.
